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Mercer Island median family income is highest in state

A new U.S. Census Bureau report lists Mercer Island as the wealthiest city in Washington state with a median family income of $146,476. The median income measured for the United States is $62,735. The median value is the data point where half of the observed values are higher and half are lower. Or in the case of income, half of all household incomes measured are higher and half are lower than the median value

The latest findings from the American Community Survey, by the U.S. Census Bureau are the primary source of data on a wide range of important statistics about people and housing for every community across the country. The estimates released late last month cover a three-year period from 2009 to 2011.

The survey is the primary source of local estimates for most of the 40 topics it covers, such as education, income, poverty, occupation, language, nativity, ancestry and homeownership.The survey looked at cities with more than 20,000 residents

"The American Community Survey estimates provide timely local demographic, economic, social and housing statistics for small communities across the country to a wide range of users," said Thomas Mesenbourg, the Census Bureau's acting director. "The results are used by everyone from retailers and homebuilders to town and city planners. The statistics are indispensable to anyone who has to make decisions in the communities."

Other Eastside cities scoring high on the list are:

2. Sammamish, $141,712

5. Redmond, $114,330

6. Issaquah $112,558

7. Kirkland, $107,122

12. Bellevue $98,342.

Seattle was 16th on the list with a median family income of $91,898.

For more on the survey, including the research methods and a fact sheet, go to the U.S. Census Bureau's website, www.census.gov.

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